Bottom Line:
Exploratory (n = 237) and confirmatory factor analyses (n = 345) showed that the Muenster Epistemic Trustworthiness Inventory (METI) is composed of these three factors.A subsequent experimental study (n = 137) showed that all three dimensions of the METI are sensitive to variation in source characteristics.We propose using this inventory to measure assignments of epistemic trustworthiness, that is, all judgments laypeople make when deciding whether to place epistemic trust in-and defer to-an expert in order to solve a scientific informational problem that is beyond their understanding.

Affiliation: Institute for Psychology, University of Muenster, Muenster, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany.

ABSTRACTGiven their lack of background knowledge, laypeople require expert help when dealing with scientific information. To decide whose help is dependable, laypeople must judge an expert's epistemic trustworthiness in terms of competence, adherence to scientific standards, and good intentions. Online, this may be difficult due to the often limited and sometimes unreliable source information available. To measure laypeople's evaluations of experts (encountered online), we constructed an inventory to assess epistemic trustworthiness on the dimensions expertise, integrity, and benevolence. Exploratory (n = 237) and confirmatory factor analyses (n = 345) showed that the Muenster Epistemic Trustworthiness Inventory (METI) is composed of these three factors. A subsequent experimental study (n = 137) showed that all three dimensions of the METI are sensitive to variation in source characteristics. We propose using this inventory to measure assignments of epistemic trustworthiness, that is, all judgments laypeople make when deciding whether to place epistemic trust in-and defer to-an expert in order to solve a scientific informational problem that is beyond their understanding.

Mentions:
For ‘integrity’, all main effects and the interaction were significant with p < .001 (main effect of dimensions of ET: F (2, 272) = 78.89, p < .001, r = .37; main effect of manifestation of ET: F (1, 136) = 820.42, p < .001, ηp2 = .86; interaction of dimensions and manifestation of ET: F (2, 272) = 341.28, p < .001, ηp2 = .72. Planned contrasts were conducted to break down the interaction. Comparing the margin in ratings between authors who were described to be of low or high integrity, there was a significant difference to the margin between authors described to be low or high in expertise (F (1, 136) = 490.69, p < .001, r = .88), and benevolence (F (1, 136) = 4.65, p < .05, r = .18). Fig 2 shows that the margin between means in ratings of ‘integrity’ is larger, when descriptions were targeting integrity than when they were targeting expertise or benevolence (see Table 6 for means also).

Mentions:
For ‘integrity’, all main effects and the interaction were significant with p < .001 (main effect of dimensions of ET: F (2, 272) = 78.89, p < .001, r = .37; main effect of manifestation of ET: F (1, 136) = 820.42, p < .001, ηp2 = .86; interaction of dimensions and manifestation of ET: F (2, 272) = 341.28, p < .001, ηp2 = .72. Planned contrasts were conducted to break down the interaction. Comparing the margin in ratings between authors who were described to be of low or high integrity, there was a significant difference to the margin between authors described to be low or high in expertise (F (1, 136) = 490.69, p < .001, r = .88), and benevolence (F (1, 136) = 4.65, p < .05, r = .18). Fig 2 shows that the margin between means in ratings of ‘integrity’ is larger, when descriptions were targeting integrity than when they were targeting expertise or benevolence (see Table 6 for means also).

Bottom Line:
Exploratory (n = 237) and confirmatory factor analyses (n = 345) showed that the Muenster Epistemic Trustworthiness Inventory (METI) is composed of these three factors.A subsequent experimental study (n = 137) showed that all three dimensions of the METI are sensitive to variation in source characteristics.We propose using this inventory to measure assignments of epistemic trustworthiness, that is, all judgments laypeople make when deciding whether to place epistemic trust in-and defer to-an expert in order to solve a scientific informational problem that is beyond their understanding.

Affiliation:
Institute for Psychology, University of Muenster, Muenster, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany.

ABSTRACTGiven their lack of background knowledge, laypeople require expert help when dealing with scientific information. To decide whose help is dependable, laypeople must judge an expert's epistemic trustworthiness in terms of competence, adherence to scientific standards, and good intentions. Online, this may be difficult due to the often limited and sometimes unreliable source information available. To measure laypeople's evaluations of experts (encountered online), we constructed an inventory to assess epistemic trustworthiness on the dimensions expertise, integrity, and benevolence. Exploratory (n = 237) and confirmatory factor analyses (n = 345) showed that the Muenster Epistemic Trustworthiness Inventory (METI) is composed of these three factors. A subsequent experimental study (n = 137) showed that all three dimensions of the METI are sensitive to variation in source characteristics. We propose using this inventory to measure assignments of epistemic trustworthiness, that is, all judgments laypeople make when deciding whether to place epistemic trust in-and defer to-an expert in order to solve a scientific informational problem that is beyond their understanding.